Btjrg



(No Model.)

E; M VAN' VAL'KENBURG.v

VEHICLE POLE. I

Patented Mar. 8, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT ELLIS M. VAN VALKENBURG, OF RACINE, VISC-ONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THE ACME ADJUSTABLE POLE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-POLE.

a SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,271, dated March 8, 1892.

i Application filed September 19. 1891 Serial No. 406,188. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELLIs M. VAN VALKEN- BURG, of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Tongues, of which the followingis a description, reference being had to the acconpanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to inprovements in a vehicle-tongue, whereby the tongue is made light in weight, strong and durable in construction, and is adapted for convenient and ready adj ustment to be attached interchangeably to vehicles by coupliugs fixed on the axles at different dista-noes apart, and parts being also so arranged as to be capable of being folded together in a compact form for transportation. I-n the drawings, Figurel isa top plan view of so much of the vehicle-tongue as embodies my improvenents. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same portions of the tongue shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section and end view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 shows disassembled parts of the device.

The principal part of the tongne or the pole A is preferably constructed of wood. The bent and branching hounds B B are constructed of metal tubing, preferably gas-pipe, and are secured adjustably to the rear end of the pole A in the manner about to be described. Two metal plates C, duplicate in form, are secured bybolts C' and G, one plate at each side to the poleA at its rearend. An enlarged terminal portion D of the plate C projects rearwardly beyond the end of the pole A and is provided with a socket in its rear end, into which the front end of the houud B turns by a screw-thread. The hounds are screw-threaded, preferably, with a right-hand and a left-hand screw, respectively, which turn into these sockets. These enlarged parts D of the two plates O fit against each other centrally longitudinally at the rear of the pole. These plates C are also each provided with two outwardly-projecting lugs E, adapted to receive between them and support the bracket F, which bears against the plate when secured to the pole, as it is, by the bolts G and G'. These brackets F are in duplicate, one

on each side of the pole. The hounds B are each provided with a collar H, having a segmental gear I, which collars are secured rigidly to the hounds by screws K, passing through 5 5 the collar and turning into the tube and into a wooden plug L, -advisably inserted in the end of the hound. These collars H are so arranged that the gears. mesh with each other when the hounds are in position in the tongue, and are used to compel the sinultaneous and equal rotation of 'the hounds. A metal band M passes around the two hounds.. at the rear of the collars H, and a bolt N through the band between the hounds and also through the rear extremity of the strap O is adapted to draw the central parts of the band toward each other and more tightly about the two hounds' The rear end O' of the strap O is beveled upwardly and outwardly in transverse section, being a blunt Wedge shape, whereby it is adapted to bear against the upper surface of the band and being drawn, tightly against it, to press the band inwardly between and against the hounds. It will be understood that by this construction the rear ends of the hounds can be swung toward or from each other to such an extent as is necessary to adapt the hounds to be connected to the axle of a vehicle when the shaft couplings or shackles on the axle are near together or farther apart; also, that the rear ends of the hounds may be brought close together for the purpose of packing and transportation. Metal brace-rods P turn by screw-threads on their front ends into sockets in the rear ends of the brackets F, and at their rear ends these braces turn by screw-threads into sockets in the metal couplings R. These couplings R are also secured to the rear extremities of the hounds B, which are 'eceived in sockets therein by screw-threads. Screw-threaded eyebolts S turn into sockets in the rear ends of the couplings R, and are adapted for connecting the tongue directly to the shackles on the aXle of a vehicle. These braces P, secured to .the pole A by turning by screw-thread intothe brackets Fand at their rear ends secured to the hounds B by turning into the coupling R, are thus adapted to permit of the oo adjustment of the hounds or of their being folded together, as heretofore described. The

strap O extends forwardly to above thewhiffietree T, which is secured to the tongue by a bolt U through the strap, whiflletree, and pole. A top plate V is interposed between the whitlletree and the pole and is secured to the pole by suitable bolts.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a vehicle-tongue, the combination, with a pole, of metal plates secured to the pole and projecting rearwardly therefrom in the line of the axis of the pole, formingapermanent metal end to the pole, provided with adjacents screw-threaded sockets parallel with eael other and with the axis of the pole, and branching hounds adapted to connect the pole to a vehicle, the front ends of which hounds turn by screw-thread into the soekets in the metal end of the pole, the axes of those portions of the hounds'that are-received in the sockets being parallel to the axis of the pole, substantially as clescribed.

2. In a Vehicle-tongue, the combination, with a pole and metal plates secured thereto and projecting rearwardly therefrom, of metal hounds turning bya screw-thread into the rear ends of the metal plates,being there- V by made adjustable therein, and segmental gears fixed on the hounds, meshing With each other, whereby the adj ustment of the hounds revolubly is made simultaneous and equal, substantially as described.

3. In a vehicletongue, the combination, with a pole and metal plates secured rigidly thereto and extending rearwardly therefrom, of metal houncls turning by serew-threacl into the rear ends of the plates, segmental gears 4. In a vehicle-tongue, the combination,

with a pole and branching hounds connected to the rear extremity thereof in such manner as to be adjnstable revolubly therein about axes parallel with the axis of the pole, of branching brace-rods secured at their front ends to the extremity of the pole, revoluble about axes parallel With the pole and at their rear encls connected movably to the branching hounds, thus permitting the revoluble novenent or folding of the hounds through their connection to the pole, substantially as described.

5. In a vehicle-tongue, the combination` with the pole and branching hounds pivoted to the pole about axes parallel therewith, of branching b'ace-rods connected movably to the hounds near their rear extremities, and detachable metal brackets secured to the sides of the pole near its rear extremity, provided with sockets substantially parallel with the axis of the pole, in which the front extremities of the brace-rod are received, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturc in presence of two witnesses.

ELLIS M. VAN VALKENBURG.

IV i tnesses:

C. T. BENEDIcr, ANNA V. FAUST. 

